Australian instrumentalist Catherine Duc is a very talented artist with her own unique spin on “World Music.” Songs such as “Evocation”
are trance-inducing, with hypnotic piano and droning Asian flute in the background. “World Music” is sometimes criticized for throwing all music outside
of the Western Hemisphere into one basket, stripping it of its cultural uniqueness, but Duc keeps the music to its bare essentials by not borrowing
too much or too little of a certain music. There are pieces of Asian music, tribal beats and classical elements, but they flow together supported by
an electronic undercurrent.
“Essence of Dreams” is a fitting title to the track, as the song serenades between traditional oriental music and modern musical technology. It is
a wonderful blend of old meets new, East meets West. “One Autumn Day” captures the season of fall in a grooving swoop. The looping electric guitar and
up-tempo beat, makes for the perfect track to listen too while jogging on an October day. The violin only compliments the auditory picture of swirling
red and orange leaves, a soft breeze and the hope of a new day. Catherine Duc is not a “World Music” artist; she is a talented musician with a talent
for taking diverse elements and making it work.
While Western markets do not market this hybrid genre on a high scale, artists like Duc prove this music’s power and its potential to attract
mainstream music buyers. Perhaps Catherine Duc will be one of the artists to transition World Music from a niche market, to a viable mainstream genre.
Visit online at: www.catherineduc.com
Review by Jerel Johnson
